Cited by 223Eating Disorders and BehaviorsCOVID-19 and Mental HealthNutrition, Health and Food Behavior

The impact of COVID‐19 epidemic on eating disorders: A longitudinal observation of pre versus post psychopathological features in a sample of patients with eating disorders and a group of healthy controls

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Castellini, Giovanni, Cassioli, Emanuele, Rossi, Eleonora, Innocenti, Matteo, Gironi, Veronica, Sanfilippo, Giulia, Felciai, Federica, Monteleone, Alessio M. +1 more·2020·International Journal of Eating Disorders

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: the aim of this longitudinal study was to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 epidemic on Eating Disorders (EDs) patients, considering the role of pre-existing vulnerabilities. METHOD: 74 patients with Anorexia Nervosa (AN) or Bulimia Nervosa (BN) and 97 healthy controls (HCs) were evaluated before lockdown (T1) and during lockdown (T2). Patients were also evaluated at the beginning of treatment (T0). Questionnaires were collected to assess psychopathology, childhood trauma, attachment style, and COVID-19-related post-traumatic symptoms. RESULTS: A different trend between patients and HCs was observed only for pathological eating behaviors. Patients experienced increased compensatory exercise during lockdown; BN patients also exacerbated binge eating. Lockdown interfered with treatment outcomes: the descending trend of ED-specific psychopathology was interrupted during the epidemic in BN patients. Previously remitted patients showed re-exacerbation of binge eating after lockdown. Household arguments and fear for the safety of loved ones predicted increased symptoms during the lockdown. BN patients reported more severe COVID-19-related post-traumatic symptomatology than AN and HCs, and these symptoms were predicted by childhood trauma and insecure attachment. DISCUSSION: COVID-19 epidemic significantly impacted on EDs, both in terms of post-traumatic symptomatology and interference with the recovery process. Individuals with early trauma or insecure attachment were particularly vulnerable.

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Crossref · 10.1002/eat.23368

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  • The current trends in the number and proportion of mental health condition-related emergency department visits, along with previous research, indicate that the mental health effects of the pandemic might be particularly high among adolescent girls.

    “The current trends in the number and proportion of MHC-related ED visits, along with previous research ( 1 , 2 , 4 -8 ), indicate that the mental health effects of the pandemic might be particularly high among adolescent girls.”
  • Eating disorders can be triggered by pandemic-related risk factors (such as lack of structure in daily routine, emotional distress, and changes in food availability) or exacerbated by reduced access to mental health care during the pandemic.

    “Eating disorders can be triggered by pandemic-related risk factors (e.g., lack of structure in daily routine, emotional distress, and changes in food availability) or exacerbated by reduced access to mental health care during the pandemic ( 4 , 5 ).”
  • In Castellini et al. (2020), comparing baseline to T1, patients with EDs reported an improvement of general psychopathology and ED-specific symptoms, objective binge eating, and compensatory physical exercise.

    “While comparing baseline to T1, patients with EDs reported an improvement of general psychopathology and ED-specific symptoms, objective binge eating and compensatory physical exercise.”

    From Eating Disorders Spectrum During the COVID Pandemic: A Systematic Review (2021) · cites this paper as Castellini et al. (2020)

  • In Castellini et al. (2020), despite 10 full remissions and 19 partial remissions at T1, 10 subjects reported a relapse into BN at T2.

    “Despite 10 full remissions and 19 partial remissions at T1, 10 subjects reported a relapse into BN at T2.”

    From Eating Disorders Spectrum During the COVID Pandemic: A Systematic Review (2021) · cites this paper as Castellini et al. (2020)

  • In Castellini et al. (2020), the ED group reported higher COVID-19-related post-traumatic stress symptoms compared with the healthy control group.

    “Moreover, the ED group reported higher COVID-19-related post-traumatic stress (PTS) symptoms in comparison with the HC group.”

    From Eating Disorders Spectrum During the COVID Pandemic: A Systematic Review (2021) · cites this paper as Castellini et al. (2020)

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Authors
Castellini, G., Cassioli, E., Rossi, E., Innocenti, M., Gironi, V., Sanfilippo, G., Felciai, F., Monteleone, A. M., & Ricca, V.
Affiliations
  • University of Florence (IT)
  • University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli" (IT)
Corresponding author
Castellini, Giovanni
Venue
International Journal of Eating Disorders
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2020-08-28
Volume
53
Issue
11
Pages
1855-1862
ISSN
  • 0276-3478 (ISSN-L)
  • 1098-108X
OpenAlex
W3080599908
Cited by
223
References
30
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 25 · 2023: 45 · 2022: 66 · 2021: 66 · 2020: 3
FWCI
17.91
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • International Journal of Eating Disorders (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Florence Research (University of Florence) (submittedVersion)
  • Archivio Istituzionale della Ricerca - Università degli Studi della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli" (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Eating Disorders and Behaviors
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › COVID-19 and Mental Health
  • Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Nutrition, Health and Food Behavior
Keywords
COVID-19 pandemic, eating disorders, anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, lockdown, compensatory exercises, binge eating, posttraumatic stress symptoms, childhood trauma, insecure attachment, treatment outcomes, family conflict
MeSH terms
Psychological Trauma, COVID-19, Adolescent, Adult, Feeding and Eating Disorders, Feeding Behavior, Female, Humans, Italy, Longitudinal Studies, Middle Aged, Object Attachment, Pneumonia, Viral, Quarantine, Surveys and Questionnaires, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Exercise, Case-Control Studies, Coronavirus Infections, Young Adult, Pandemics

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